Menashe Amir: 'Iran Will Continue To Reject Any New Uranium Offers Unless Accompanied By Far More Severe Sanctions'

'Tehran Sees Nuclear Weapons As Means To Impose Political & Religious Hegemony In Middle East Region & International Arena'

IsraCast Assessment: In a wide-ranging interview, Iranian expert Menashe Amir explains why new nuclear talks with Tehran are destined to end in failure. However, Amir contends there is still time for the international community to stop the Iranians from acquiring 'the bomb' but only if it is willing to impose much stiffer sanctions and suffer the consequences of a real confrontation.

After Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has announced that Tehran is now ready to resume nuclear talks with the P5+1, what are the prospects? None according to Menashe Amir, an Israeli expert on Iran. Amir told IsraCast there was no possibility that Iran would halt its nuclear weapons program unless the international community was prepared to adopt more drastic steps to deter the Iranians. Interviewed by David Essing, Amir explained how 'the bomb' plays a crucial role in Iran's grand design for regional and international domination something that is misunderstood by some foreign commentators who either view Iran as a 'paper tiger' or preach 'the need to live with an Iranian bomb'.

There may be more than meets the eye behind the monumental U.S. arms sale of $60 billion to Saudi Arabia. IsraCast analyst David Essing assesses some of the possible ramifications against the backdrop of what could be a silent shift of some of Israel's strategic security considerations from Turkey to the Gulf. But there is still a fly in the ointment. In order for such a shift to jell there is a need for at least a semblance of progress on the Israeli- Palestinian track in order to placate public opinion in the Arab world. On the domestic scene, President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, two of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's strongest supporters have been urging Netanyahu to accept a U.S. request to extend the settlement freeze in the face of stiff opposition from the Right-wing coalition.

Was there a connection between the Lebanese visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad and the rescue operation of the trapped 33 miners in Chile? Menashe Amir, an Israeli expert on Iran, told IsraCast that Ahmadenijad had planned his trip to Lebanon to heighten tension with Israel and capture international headlines. However, Iranian officials back home in Tehran were peeved that the rescue mission upstaged Ahmadenijad! But if the Iranian leader failed to persuade the Lebanese leadership to follow Hezbullah into the Iranian web of influence, he did demonstrate a strong show of support for Hezbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. IDF Gen.(res.) Yaacov Amidror believes Tehran will keep tight rein on Hezbullah for retaliation against Israel if Iran's nuclear sites are attacked.

Some Right-wing Supporters Threaten To Topple Government If Netanyahu Renews Freeze - Left Wing Labor Threatens To Bolt Cabinet If He Doesn't

IsraCast: Netanyahu's Decision- making On Settlement Freeze Could Impact On Issue Of Nuclear Iran

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu continues to agonize over what to do about U.S. President Barack Obama's demand that Israel extend the settlement freeze in Judea & Samaria for another two months. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is sticking to his guns and refusing to carry on direct peace talks after the freeze expired on Sept.26th. The Arab League is scheduled to meet on Oct.8th to decide where it stands. Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmud Achmadenijad is due to visit Lebanon shortly in a demonstration of support for his Hezbollah surrogate forces and travel down to the Israeli border. IsraCast analyst David Essing sees a link between the issue of the settlement freeze and the Iranian nuclear threat.

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At the UN General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama again appealed to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to walk through the 'door of diplomacy' to resolve the crisis over Iran's nuclear weapons project. Ahmadinejad was swift to respond; he charged that the U.S. government was responsible for the 9/11 terror atrocities. The two speeches were revealing - they exposed not only the sharp divergences in how the two leaders conduct their statecraft but also revealed totally different mindsets. IsraCast analyst David Essing is of the view that Ahmadinejad and the Iran regime will reject Obama's 'door of diplomacy'- they've already walked through the door of radical Islam.

IsraCast Assessment: Israeli Renewal Of Building At Existing Settlements Appears Imminent Despite Palestinian Ultimatum - The Question Is At What Level

There is still no solution in sight to the tug-of-war between Israel and the Palestinians over the expiry of Israel's self-imposed building freeze at Israeli settlements in Judea & Samaria (West Bank). The Israeli government says construction will be resumed after the Sept.26th deadline - if it is, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatens to walk out of the current peace talks with Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The U.S. has been prodding Netanyahu to extend his 'building suspension' but the PM's Right-wing coalition colleagues are demanding that he keep his word to send the bulldozers back to work. Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi is preparing for 'all contingencies' including a possible renewed wave of Palestinian violence on the West Bank.

'For Small Country Such As Israel, Territory Is Of Supreme Importance... Just Imagine If Sinai, Golan Heights, Jordan Valley Basin & West Bank Were Not In Israeli Hands At Outbreak Of Yom Kippur War'

IsraCast Assessment: In Current Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks, Prime Minister Netanyahu Will Insist On Wide Ranging Security Arrangements That Take Into Account The Threat Of New North-Eastern Front

Israelis and Jews around the world have marked the Yom Kippur Day of Atonement. Thirty-seven years ago, the Egyptian and Syrian armies exploited the holiest day in the Jewish calendar to launch a massive surprise attack that nearly succeeded in defeating the IDF and possibly wiping Israel off the map. What are the ramifications today when it comes to Israeli territorial concessions to the Palestinians and Syria? This assessment by IsraCast analyst David Essing deals with some of the issues.

Time May Run Out For Blocking Iranian Nuclear Weapon In Coming Year

Growing Concern Being Voiced In Gulf States Over International Community's Failure To Stop Iran

Prime Minister Netanyahu Agrees To Partial Freeze On Settlement Freeze After Sept.26th - Settlers Threaten To Topple Netanyahu If He Does Not Renew Wide Scale Building

Israelis and Jews around the world have marked the Jewish New Year of 5771. In the homeland of the Jews, which the Palestinians steadfastly refuse t recognize as a people with the right of national self-determination, analysts were assessing some of the strategic issues in the coming year. There was agreement that Iran was still proceeding at full tilt toward acquiring nuclear weapons while its fanatical leaders call continually for Israel's destruction. As the new year got underway, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that he was ready to compromise on a partial building freeze in Judea & Samaria in order to save the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Both Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have come away from the Washington summit in an upbeat mood. Back home in the Middle East, their critics on both sides will be asking: 'Just what did he concede at the summit?' IsraCast analyst David Essing says the stage may have been set for both Netanyahu and Abbas to take some fateful decisions in the coming year with the U.S. acting as adjudicator. Meanwhile, the Arab world appears ready to support a resolution of the conflict while Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah are enraged and trying to inflame the Arab world against the current peace move.